A Short History of the Jewish People From Legendary Times to Modern Statehood

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Where did the Jews come from? How did they retain their strong sense of community through centuries of dispersion? How have the Jews of the present, with their proud ethnic identity and thriving national home, emerged out of the downtrodden Jews of the past? Such questions arise naturally in the minds of anyone contemplating the long history of Jewish people. In one concise, authoritative volume, A Short History of the Jewish People provides insights and answers. This sweeping and highly informative work presents the major geographical, cultural, and political forces that have determined the course of Jewish history, introducing the many individuals, both religious and secular, who have shaped the character, mindset, and prospects of the Jewish people. Organized chronologically, the narrative follows the Jewish experience from legendary times to the peace agreements currently being negotiated in the Middle East. And, to give this overview an international and timely perspective, Raymond P. Scheindlin focuses his study on the pivotal events and dominant communities within each historical period. Written by a respected Hebrew scholar, cultural historian, noted author, and rabbi, A Short History of the Jewish People carefully describes the story of a people as varied as the many cultures in which they have lived. Including detailed maps and stirring photos, as well as timelines and sidebars, this pioneering work is a valuable resource for anyone broadly curious about the Jewish people.

Raymond P. Scheindlin teaches at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City. His other books include Wine, Women, and Death: Medieval Hebrew Poems on the Good Life (OUP 1999) and The Gazelle: Medieval Hebrew Poems on God, Israel, and the Soul (OUP 1999).

Acknowledgements

vii

Introduction

viii

Israelite Origins and Kingdom (Before 1220 B.C.E. to 587 B.C.E.)

1

(24)

Judea and the Origins of the Diaspora (587 B.C.E. to 70 C.E.)

25

(26)

Roman Palestine and Sassanid Babylonia (70 C.E. to 632)

51

(20)

The Jews in the Islamic World: From the Rise of Islam to the End of the Middle Ages (632 to 1500)